Play Chinese whispers – Set up a game of Chinese whispers. Start with some juicy gossip (that you pretend that you should not really tell the children!!!) such as, “The Head Teacher told me that they were going to dye their hair bright red” or something about a current celebrity. You may also wish to keep this secret from one of the members of the class and use this to discuss how he/she felt being left out of the conversation.

Main Teaching

Gossip Time – Ask the children to sit in pairs or threes and discuss some of the juicy gossip from school.

Discuss problem with gossip – Is it right to share information that you have heard from one person (who has told you not to say anything) with another person. Use other examples to aid discussion and share Jewish responses.

Brainstormabout “words” – Display the word WORDS on the board and ask children to discuss what they are, what they mean, what they can do, how they are used etc…Prompt with questions about how words can be good but also can be bad.

Option 1: Shape Poetry – Using examples as a guide, ask children to create a poem based on a powerful word of their choice. It should be written in the shape of the word that they have chosen. Children to draft their poem and have teacher check for errors before copying it up in neat and ready for display.

Option 2: Drama – Children to think of different scenarios where words are powerful for good or for bad. Children to act out alternative scene endings to give the message that words are very important.
Example: Telling someone you love them, telling someone you hate them.